Behind him stood a woman with short black hair. She held a submachine gun, her gaze as cold as a machine.
"Are you his Master?" Kayneth stared at the woman.
Maiya did not answer. She merely acted on Kiritsugu Emiya's orders.
Proto Saber offered no explanation either. There was no chivalry on the battlefield. As a king, he was not that rigid.
Proto Saber looked at the Grand Duke and slowly raised his holy sword.
The Grand Duke looked at Kayneth: What now?
Kayneth gritted his teeth. Now was not the time to look for Sola...
"Go."
He stood up, Volumen Hydrargyrum flowing around him. "I'll deal with the enemy Master."
The Grand Duke nodded.
The next second, both figures vanished from where they stood.
The crash of flames against a spear erupted in the distance.
Kayneth remained where he was, straightened his disheveled formal attire, and raised his head to look at Maiya standing atop the rubble.
His voice regained its usual arrogance as he began the formalities of a magecraft duel, just like a traditional mage:
"I, Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, ninth head of the Archibald Family, have come here."
He spread his hands as though performing on a stage. "Mage before me, stake your life and honor upon the Holy Grail, and face me fair and square-"
Before he could finish.
Bang, bang, bang!
Flames spat from the muzzle of Maiya's submachine gun.
Kayneth did not move. Volumen Hydrargyrum deployed automatically, the silver mercury forming a barrier before him and deflecting every bullet.
Kayneth looked down at the deflected bullets.
The brass bullets fell to the ground with clear clinks.
Kayneth's expression changed drastically as he stared at the "mage" opposite him in disbelief.
"Using such methods?"
He raised his head and looked at Maiya.
The woman wore